


Pineapple Cake

by snsdtwinkle



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Bakery AU, F/F, Happy Ending, chaewon works at a bakery and hyunjin likes pastries, i had to incorporate all of ot12 somehow, more people should ship HyunWon theyre so cute, other ships present if you squint, underrated ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:40:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22907941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snsdtwinkle/pseuds/snsdtwinkle
Summary: Chaewon is the new employee at a bakery and right when her shift starts, there's a beautiful, tall girl with long and gorgeous dark hair who comes in and spends a considerably long amount of time browsing the pastries, but never buys anything.(Spoiler: It's Hyunjin)
Relationships: Kim Hyunjin/Park Chaewon | Go Won
Comments: 2
Kudos: 86





	Pineapple Cake

**Author's Note:**

> Isn't procrastination a beautiful thing? Writing stuff at crackhead hours again! It's 3AM (:
> 
> Cross-posted from aff (but I edited it and made it better imo)
> 
> Enjoy!

There’s a specific girl that always came to the bakery after school but never bought anything. She only spent a considerably long amount of time browsing all the pastries and then left with a small “thank you.”

Chaewon was the new employee they hired for the afternoon shift and right when she clocks in, she saw the beautiful, tall girl with long, gorgeous dark hair walk in every weekday without fail. She spent about ten minutes looking at all the cakes, breads, tarts, cookies, and all other sweets carefully, without getting any and simply walked out the door. 

Chaewon recognized the uniform she wore as it was from the rival school they always competed against, BlockBerry High. That school was a lot more laid-back and carefree than Chaewon’s prestigious and strict private academy; Hence the mystery girl’s plain dark uniform, tennis shoes, and let-down hair, which were a big contrast to Chaewon’s white dress shirt, yellow checkered skirt with a matching blazer, white tights, and polished black shoes. Chaewon's uniform had to be spotless, free of wrinkles and stains, and even her hair had to be styled with a bow and couldn’t be let down. 

The only freedom they had was that they were (surprisingly) allowed to dye their hair- as long as they were natural colors- so Chaewon went all out and decided on blonde hair (blonde was technically a natural color, just not hers. And administration bought her weak reasoning). That other school, to Chaewon’s knowledge at least, was known to be an art school while her own specialized in math and sciences and other academics. They were famous for their stellar grades with flying colors that many parents did the impossible to get their kids accepted.

It really wasn’t all it was hyped to be. They barely had any free time since they always had their noses stuck in their textbooks. If anything, this job was what the prep and posh girl saw as a breath of fresh air. Sure, she’s working and not actually out jumping fences and vandalizing private property, but Chaewon genuinely enjoyed working at the bakery. Even more so when she got to see the pretty girl (who she didn’t have a name for yet) almost everyday.

The newbie worker never dared speak to her other than a _“Hello, welcome to My Melody!”_ as she walked in, and a belated _“Have a good day!”_ when she caught her retreating back without having purchased anything. Chaewon tended to the shop alone as it’s never busy to the point where needed an extra hand. She worked for three hours and left as soon as the person for the next shift comes in (which is always the bakery owner's oldest daughter).

Finally, after two weeks, Chaewon gathered the courage to walk from behind the counter and approach the pretty girl (her gaze seemed to twinkle over the chocolate-filled croissants and she was so fixated to the point she almost drooled). Chaewon wondered if maybe the girl didn't have enough money to buy the pastries and what’s why she always left without getting anything.

“Anything I can help you with?” The blonde asked her from behind and the taller girl, being caught off-guard, jumped from her skin.

She had been so concentrated on the bread that she hadn’t even heard the smaller girl approaching. She cleared her throat awkwardly. “No thank you. I’m just looking.”

“You’re always just looking. I see indecisive customers all the time but you currently hold the record,” Chaewon joked.

The girl didn’t return the smile. Chaewon wasn’t phased. She could tell the girl was introverted, her quiet and soft speaking voice was proof enough.

“Would you like any recommendations?” Chaewon kept trying.

“Uhh...”

“I noticed you stare longer at the breads than anything else. Our strawberry cheesecake Danish pastries are the most popular.” Chaewon naturally pointed with her hand and brought the girl over to the section where she would find all their popular items.

“I personally like the fruit tarts and cakes more. My favorite is the pineapple cake. It's to _die_ for, I have to control myself whenever I’m on shift. They already caught me once eating more sweets than I should. Of course everything I paid for but still, there’s a certain rule about no eating during working hours.” Chaewon crossed her arms as she rambled on about her job.

The girl finally let out some sign of emotion. It was a closed smile, and although small and insignificant, Chaewon would take it. Even though it wasn’t a blinding grin with sparkling pearly whites, the blonde could tell it was a genuine reaction.

Finally the other girl spoke. “You do seem to have gained a little more weight than last week.”

Chaewon was horrified. “I did not! I weigh the same thing as I did seven days ago!”

Now a grin had made it’s way on the girl’s face and even though it was at her own expense, Chaewon was glad she was getting the girl to open up.

“Are you sure? What’s this?” She teasingly poked her side and Chaewon jumped back with a squeal.

“That tickles!”

The girl laughed and Chaewon felt it was unfair how the sound was so pretty.

“Lay off the sweets,” the girl chuckled.

Chaewon shook her head. “Never. Maybe someday I’ll get you to eat the pastries with me.”

“Oh? I thought you couldn’t eat during working hours?” The girl had a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Chaewon wasn’t backing down. “Then we can just eat after hours.”

The blonde didn’t realize the implication of her statement and the no-buying customer took this to her advantage. “Are you asking me out on a date?” Her tone was playful and flirty.

Chaewon was taken aback by the blunt question for two reasons. One: that was not what she had been intending _at all._ And two: well, would she really say yes if that were the case? Luckily, although not often, the blonde still knew a few things about flirting back.

“Only if you want it to be. But I’m going to need a name for the pretty girl I’m supposedly taking out.” 

_Oof that was smooth._

You did well Park Chaewon, she mentally patted herself on the back. She can already see Jiwoo losing her shit once she tells her later today about her interesting day at work. Certainly a lot more interesting than past accounts.

It was the taller girl's turn to look surprised. She really was not expecting Chaewon to tug back. Usually, once she hinted at the possibility of being interested in a girl romantically, they would turn the other way and leave her alone. That was what she intended to be the case here. Who would’ve thought that the cute blonde bakery worker would be an exception? She messed up.

“I...” Suddenly all her confidence from earlier vanished into nothing. She swallowed dry, “I gotta go. Sorry.”

And just like that she ran away, almost hitting her forehead on the glass door that said “pull” instead of “push.”

Chaewon was left stunned. Did she do something wrong? Had she read the cues wrong? Or could it be that the girl was just playing and actually wasn’t into girls at all?

Well, that certainly was a twist she wasn’t expecting. Thankfully, a group of rowdy middle-schoolers walked through the door at the exact moment the girl left. Chaewon quickly got back to her professional work persona and the weird exchange with the girl she still didn’t have a name for was left forgotten.

— — —

For a whole week the girl hadn’t even taken a peek through the window (Chaewon had been very alert so she could catch her but _nada)._ She was beginning to think it was her fault for making things awkward but when Chaewon thought rationally about the situation, nothing about it was her fault.

With a long sigh, she forced herself to stop thinking about it. Instead, she decided to focus on the fun evening she would have tonight. There was an important basketball game as it was the very first one of the season, so she had planned to attend for sure (as had the entire student body of her school). She was getting ready to clock out as the game would start at seven sharp and she hated not being punctual.

They were against BlockBerry High School- the school that was rival to Chaewon’s very own Garden of Eden Preparatory Academy (or Eden Prep for short). Neither were actually particularly keen on sports (that title belonged to Polaris High) but that’s what made them more competitive to win against each other in the first place, being so mediocrely matched.

Her friend showed up at the bakery at 6:30 (she was big on punctuality too) so they could head to their school were the match would be held. It was a home game, which meant they had all right to show off and emphasize how much better their school was in comparison. With everything in order and the bakery owner's daughter coming in for the night shift, Chaewon was free to go.

“Hey, maybe your crush will be there!” Her friend bumped her shoulder with hers as they walked to the bus stop.

Meet Kim Jiwoo, her best friend since they both entered Eden and they knew absolutely no one. Both of them just clicked during orientation (and at the fact that they both were loners). After talking for about five minutes, they realized that they had a lot in common than only being small, cute, and bright, and they’ve been inseparable since.

“What crush?” Chaewon looked at her utterly puzzled.

“Bread Girl!” Jiwoo said too enthusiastically.

“Oh my gosh,” Chaewon smacked her on the shoulder. “I’m never telling you anything again!”

Jiwoo squealed at the sudden attack but recovered quickly. “Chaewon and Bread Girl sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N—“

“You’re a child,” Chaewon rolled her eyes.

Jiwoo wasn’t done with her just yet. “At least I have the guts to confess, unlike you.”

At this Chaewon grew an offense to. Especially since Jiwoo wasn’t that better off either. She would have her revenge.

“Oh yeah? And how did that end up? Did Sooyoung ever accept your friend request after the lame DM you sent her?”

“Shut up!” This time it was Jiwoo who shoved Chaewon back. “That was a stupid freshman crush I had years ago! Let it go already! She's in college and last I heard, she's dating some famous Instagram model from China. Vivian-something.”

Chaewon gave her an evil smile. This was Jiwoo's karma for being an ass to her.

Okay, so they both weren’t the best when it came to confessing their feelings to pretty girls. Big whoop. They couldn’t be the only ones that went into complete panic mode when a girl so much as breathed in their direction and accidentally locked eyes with them. 

"Anyways," Jiwoo decided to change the topic before she got too caught up on her first high school crush that ended pitifully, “who do you think is gonna win tonight?”

“It better be us. We already have the brains. Can you imagine if we were better than them at sports too? The Blockberry Badgers would lose their minds.” Chaewon laughed gleefully at the thought. So she was a little too into school rivalry, but it was all in good fun.

Ironically, the one that ended up losing her mind were was her because what were the chances of Bread Girl (Chaewon can’t believe the name stuck) really did end up being present at the game like Jiwoo said? And not just as an spectator. No, destiny really had to go full-cliché. The girl actually ended up being the captain of the basketball team.

_What the hell?_ This wasn’t fair! She was pretty _and_ athletic!? God had favorites and it showed!

Jiwoo was wriggling right next to her when Chaewon explained to her why her jaw was on the floor.

“OH MY GOD, CHAEWON YOU’RE SUCH A LUCKY LOSER! I SWEAR TO GOD, WHAT ARE THE FREAKING CHANCES?! HOLY CRAP I CAN'T BELIEVE BREAD GIRL IS HERE!”

Jiwoo had no filter when she was excited and Chaewon lowered her head in embarrassment at the scene her best friend was causing. Everyone present had turned to look their way at the commotion. She could practically feel the glares from a teacher behind them ready to kick them out. The red-haired girl didn’t care though, she kept yelling her lungs out. Can the earth open up and swallow her, please?

“THE ANNOUNCER SAID HER NAME IS KIM HYUNJIN! YOU HAVE A NAME TO THE FACE NOW. GO ASK FOR HER NUMBER! ASK HER OUT ON A DATE CHAEWON! GO NOW. GO!”

“JIWOO. SHUT. UP!” Chaewon shouted back. It was to the point that it was louder than Jiwoo’s booming voice which was an amazing feat. Now the people around them weren't just staring but they had morphed to throwing glares their way as well.

And because Jiwoo decided that they should sit on the front row so they would have the best view of the game, her shouts not only caught the attention of those around her, but also the players on the court. And guess who heard the name Kim Hyunjin being screamed? The girl herself. The opposing team's basketball captain turned as soon as she heard someone shouting her name and managed to catch the last sentence of all the commotion.

That’s when Hyunjin saw an unknown girl with red hair that looked like she was high on sugar but also someone very familiar sitting next to her. Hyunjin would be able to recognize those golden locks of hair anywhere, even in her sleep. When Hyunjin's eyes landed on her she was coincidentally looking her way as well so they naturally locked eyes. The girl instantly turned a bright shade of crimson and she sprung up from her seat and ran out the gym. Even though her head had been down and her hair had been covering most of her face, the basketball player was sure she saw a few tears.

Now Hyunjin felt bad because she knew all of this was her fault. She shouldn’t have ran out the bakery that day and not gone back since. Hyunjin shouldn’t have flirted with the girl and given her hope that she was interested, because she wasn’t. Throughout the whole game Hyunjin was distracted, fully due to the fact that the cute blonde bakery worker never came back. Hyunjin knew she deserved it. The girl ran away and left her with nothing just like she had done to her.

— — —

Chaewon was completely humiliated. She didn’t care about strangers or other people from their school, but Hyunjin had heard. That was enough for the blonde to take off running in tears from the embarrassment. She couldn’t go back there. She couldn’t go back to the game and pretend the BlockBerry student was a stranger to her. Instead, she decided to take a walk around the campus to calm down and think.

Jiwoo sent her a string of messages, profusely apologizing for having messed up and Chaewon sent her a single reply saying it’s okay. And it was. She wasn't mad at her. If anything she felt more mad at herself. Now Hyunjin really would never show up at the bakery and she would never have the chance to talk to her again. Chaewon didn’t even realize how hard she had fallen for the girl until she saw the possibility of her feelings being returned.

It was like her heart had been a door that was closed with a lock and key until Hyunjin unlocked the seal, and Chaewon herself threw the key far away and now couldn't close it back no matter how much she tried. While lost in her thoughts, she concluded that there was no point in staying at school any longer if she wasn’t going to watch the game so she walked off.

Chaewon left and walked around the city for over an hour just trying to clear her head and come to terms with being rejected without actually having had the chance to properly confess. She walked around the neighborhood park three times. She walked around a store and didn’t buy anything. She walked through an empty church parking lot. She kept on walking until she subconsciously ended back at the bakery.

Thinking she had nothing better to do she went in. Haseul- the bakery owner’s oldest daughter in charge of always closing the shop at night- was surprised to see her.

“Chaewon? What are you doing here? I thought you had a game to go to?”

The blonde didn’t reply and instead took a seat by one of the small tables in the corner. She lowered her head to feel the cold wood on her skin and let out a pitiful sigh.

“Oh no. What’s wrong?” Haseul came over to her worriedly.

The bakery was currently empty and Haseul was simply cleaning little by little, getting ready to close soon.

Instead of a verbal reply, Chaewon whined in distress.

“Did something happen tonight?” Haseul tried to guess.

Chaewon gave her a short grunt.

“Something at the game?”

Another grunt.

“Something with a girl?”

Okay now this was getting way too accurate for Haseul to be luckily guessing everything right. The Eden Prep student raised her head and looked at the college girl with furrowed brows. Haseul's lips were formed into a thin line. Chaewon narrowed her eyes at her. She knew something.

“She told me,” Haseul confessed.

"Huh?!" Chaewon almost choked. “You know her?" She gasped.

Haseul nodded.

Wait. What? The newbie worker couldn't believe it. "Kim Hyunjin? Tall. Pretty. Athletic. Goes to BlockBerry High. Resembles a cat and sometimes makes accidental purrs when she looks at the chocolate croissants?”

Haseul laughed because that was definitely Hyunjin. “I don’t just _know_ her. I’m friends with Hyunjin.”

Chaewon thought back on Jiwoo’s words. What are the _freaking_ chances indeed. Her whole life seemed to be some sort of trite, coming-of-age movie. Now came the part where Chaewon felt like her whole world is about to crumble on her head.

“Then she also probably told you how everyone in the gym heard me getting exposed.” She wanted to forget the embarrassing moment of when Hyunjin turned her way and full recognition showed on her face. There was no doubt she heard everything and knew she was the bakery employee that flirted with her and she rejected.

Haseul raised a brow and went back to the counter to wrap the leftover pastries. If they didn't sell them by tomorrow they would have to throw them away.

“No, she didn’t tell me that part actually. All she said was that she wanted to talk to you and asked if I had your number,” Haseul told her truthfully the conversation she just had, literally seconds before Chaewon came in.

She finished putting the pastries on display away, but not before taking a few a putting them in a small pink box for Chaewon to take with her. Hopefully the sweet desserts would cheer her up. She also put some in a different box to take home for her younger sister. Yeojin really loved the vanilla-chocolate swirl cupcakes.

“But you don’t have my number,” Chaewon realized.

Haseul nodded. “You're right, I don’t.” She handed her the box with a gentle smile and then her phone. “Mind giving it to me so I can pass it on?”

— — —

Hyunjin decided she didn’t want to wait. She asked for Chaewon to meet her tonight which meant right after the game. It hadn’t taken longer than an hour since the match was over so Hyunjin simply asked if she would be willing to meet her at the park. Thankfully Chaewon said yes.

They messaged each other back and forth for a small while, Chaewon reassuring that whatever Hyunjin wanted to tell her she could do it through text, or call if she must, but the athlete refused. She insisted that it would be best for them to talk face to face (much to Chaewon’s dismay).

Chaewon was already out, there was no point in going home and coming back out, so she decided to kill some time at the bakery with Haseul until she closed and bid the older girl goodnight. Chaewon grasped the pink box in her hands tightly to stop them from shaking from being so nervous. Hyunjin didn’t tell her to meet at a specific spot so Chaewon simply picked the most obvious place, the middle of the park by the water fountain. It was a popular meeting place among many people since it was easy to find.

Chaewon reached the spot first and she sat at the edge of the fountain patiently with the pink box on her lap. She got a message a few minutes later, her heart leaping up to her throat thinking it was Hyunjin but it was just Jiwoo.

_‘hey ur mom just called me,’_ it read.

_‘where r u?’_

_‘i said u were still w me and we stopped to get sumthin to eat’_

_‘u better be home soon!’_

A string of texts came one after another.

_‘chaewon u better not be dead istg’_

The blonde girl rolled her eyes at how paranoid Jiwoo could get.

_"I’m fine. I’ll be home soon,"_ Chaewon finally wrote back and and waited for a reply.

All she got was a thumbs up emoji and a string of different colored hearts. No matter how much Jiwoo embarrassed her in public, she was harmless. She could never stay mad at her and Jiwoo used that to her advantage way more than Chaewon would like.

She didn’t realize that someone had arrived and was standing in front of her until they cleared their throat. Chaewon looked up only to lock her eyes on the girl that had been making her mind a total mess this past week. Kim Hyunjin, hair slightly damp most likely from a shower and wearing something else that was not her usual school uniform or basketball uniform from tonight.

Chaewon then thought back on how she had looked at the game. The taller girl had wore her hair up in a ponytail for the first time that made her defined jaw more prominent. Her uniform consisted of a yellow and black colors with the number 02 on the back of her jersey. Her frame typically looked slim under her school uniform but with her sports gear on, one could easily notice her toned muscles.

The only reason Chaewon regretted not having gone back was to have more time to admire how good Hyunjin had looked a bit more. And now the blonde was staring off into space like an idiot that Hyunjin had to wave a hand in front of her face to bring her back to the earth plane.

When Chaewon snapped out of her trance, she took time to analyze at the current Hyunjin in front of her. She was wearing simple black jeans and a yellow flannel and Chaewon felt herself getting lightheaded. She wasn't wearing makeup but that didn’t deter her perfect complexion.

How was she so attractive doing the bare minimum? Life had no mercy when it decided to play with Chaewon’s heart and toss it towards Hyunjin to play with.

“You looked good out there,” Chaewon said the first thing that came to mind to break the awkwardness. 

All they had been doing was stare at each other, waiting for either to say anything. Clearing her throat, Hyunjin slowly made her way over and settled next to the shorter girl, Chaewon taking notice of the distance Hyunjin left between them was of about a meter. She tried to not have her heart crumble.

“How would you know? You left.” Hyunjin looked at her with an expression Chaewon couldn’t figure out.

It didn’t look like she was upset, but she wasn’t joking either. Disappointment?

"Who won?" Chaewon tried again in hopes of lifting Hyunjin's mood somehow.

Hyunjin didn't say anything for a few moments until she decided to put Chaewon out of her misery. "We did."

Chaewon gave her a stiff nod of acknowledgement and resumed to stare down at her lap. This was so awkward. Chaewon wanted thunder to strike her just so she wouldn't have to deal with this.

Hyunjin took a deep breath before speaking again. "Why did you leave?" She looked hurt and her gaze was making Chaewon feel guilty.

“My friend was being embarrassing and I don't like being put on the spot. I'm sorry.”

Chaewon looked away from Hyunjin again to stare at literally anything else before she turned into a puddle of mush. Hyunjin's eyes resembled those of the cute googly eyes puss-in-boots did and they were tugging at Chaewon's heartstrings.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s okay.” Even if Hyunjin said that, it didn't sound genuine at all.

And that’s when Chaewon figured out the emotion Hyunjin was feeling from how detached she was from their conversation. Pity. Hyunjin felt sorry for her. She got made a fool of in front of everyone and Hyunjin wanted to let her down easy. She knew why she was here now. She was about to get rejected officially and the thought made her nauseous.

“It’s okay for me to have a crush on you?” Chaewon gathered all the scattered bits of courage in her and dared to look back at Hyunjin in the eyes.

Her eyes were glossy and her face looked pained, but she wasn't going to look away. This was something Hyunjin never wanted to elicit in her. If she cried again, the BlockBerry student wouldn’t know what to do. Chaewon looked like such a fragile little thing. Anyone that made her cry would no doubt face an eternity of remorse and a one-way ticket to hell. Hyunjin couldn't care less about going to the land of eternal damnation, but she did have a personal issue with hurting the doll-like girl who didn't ask for any of this.

Hyunjin swallowed nervously and this time she was the one to look away. Something about Chaewon was making something stir in her stomach. “I can’t control who you like. I’m flattered by your feelings but I can’t accept them.”

And that was it. Everything around Chaewon began to sound distorted, like she wasn’t actually present and she was watching the scene in front of her from above. This may sound ridiculous, but Chaewon felt like Hyunjin was genuinely her first real crush. Someone she was so enamored and entranced with because she’s seen her many times and admired her from a distance. And the more she got to know about her, albeit superficially, the more she fell for her. It hurt to know that she would never be able to take her feelings further and discover even more things about her.

Hyunjin knew she had to explain. And even though it was something personal and wasn’t quite ready to open up about, she couldn’t leave the blonde girl in limbo. The reason why she had her walls up in the first place, she had to speak up.

“I... you see. T-The thing is... Umm... The reason I actually-" Why was this so hard for her? Hyunjin closed her eyes in regret. 

She could do this. She had to, she was mentally trying to cheer herself on. Haseul had advised her that maybe it was finally time to talk to open up about her feelings and who better than someone new that knew nothing about her and wouldn’t judge her?

“Do you wanna know why I always go to the bakery and never buy anything?” Hyunjin’s voice was a lot more steady this time. She had decided.

Chaewon didn’t understand what that had to do with anything but nodded regardless. She didn’t dare speak up, fearing her words would break and make her seem even more pathetic.

“I’ve been friends with Haseul for a long time, but it wasn’t just the two of us. There was one more girl. Her name was Heejin and she was my best friend.” Hyunjin smiled thinking back on the memories. “We were inseparable. All three of us were always together. But because Heejin and I were the same age, we naturally stuck together more.”

Chaewon didn’t know why listening to Hyunjin’s gentle voice calmed her down. Her voice was so soothing and relaxing, as if raising her voice would make Chaewon break and cry.

“Over time, we fell in love and started dating when we entered high school. We dated for almost three years and we went on many dates to lots of places. Our favorite, and the place we frequented the most though, was the bakery.”

Chaewon almost gasped out loud. Things were slowly starting to make sense.

“Her mother was a fashion designer and just before junior year ended, she got promoted to work for a famous fashion line in Paris. Of course they moved as Heejin couldn’t stay here by herself. We tried to stay together but because of the huge time difference and no knowledge of when she would be back, if ever, we decided that breaking up would be best.”

Chaewon still felt her heart aching, but now it was for a completely different reason. That’s why Hyunjin took so long starting at the pastries. That’s why her look wasn't one that was easy to read. Because behind her eyes were so many personal memories that Chaewon couldn't even imagine on her own.

Hyunjin knew once she started talking about Heejin she would feel the inevitable urge to cry, but the basketball player never cried. She could count all the times she’s consciously cried with all ten of her fingers. She didn’t even cry when Heejin left. But maybe that was it. Maybe after holding back her feelings and bottling them up for so long, it was unavoidable to break down even without her consent. So she did. Years of pretending to be okay finally flowed freely in the form of tears rolling down her face.

Chaewon was usually good at comforting people, but seeing how Hyunjin purposely wanted to keep her distance, she didn’t know if she was allowed to approach her. With a trembling hand, she reached for Hyunjin’s arm and patted it awkwardly. The black-haired girl currently had her face buried in her hands, and was sobbing uncontrollably.

This felt wrong. A plain pat on her shoulder felt cold and empty and like she had no sympathy. This wasn’t like her. Chaewon could figure out a way to explain and apologize to Hyunjin later if she felt uncomfortable but for now she had to do better than this.

The Eden student set the pink box aside to be able to close the distance between them. Chaewon engulfed Hyunjin in a hug and although sudden, the affection wasn’t unwelcome. The gesture wasn't something Hyunjin accepted from someone she didn’t know well but in that moment, she mentally thanked Chaewon for providing her comfort when she didn’t have to. She was thankful she had listened when she had absolutely no obligation to stay and hear her out. Although Hyunjin couldn’t return her feelings, she was glad Chaewon didn’t drop any possible friendship between them.

When her strangled sobs turned to mere sniffles, Hyunjin decided it was time to pull away. She wanted nothing else than to stay tucked in the crook of Chaewon’s shoulder, smelling the sweet scent of pineapple cake (probably from the bakery), but she had troubled her enough. She lifted her head and Hyunjin fumbled with her hands, not knowing what to do with herself.

“I’m sorry- Shit, I soaked your shirt- I usually don’t break out into tears when I talk about Heejin. This is the first time that’s happened and I should probably stop talking about her because you lik- That was so insensitive of me. You didn’t have to stay and listen to all that. Wow- I’m a mess. I’m really sorry. Shit.”

Chaewon found Hyunjin’s panicked apology cute. She was rambling and she didn’t know what to do and her body language wasn't letting her be still and even though she just talked to her about her ex, Chaewon really didn’t care. Hyunjin’s consideration towards her feelings was creating butterflies in her stomach like the ones she used to read about in books.

What was the big deal? Hyunjin had been feeling bad and Chaewon just wanted to make her feel better. Simple. And something Chaewon liked to do when she’s feeling sad is eat sweets to bring a smile back. She remembered the box of pastries Haseul had entrusted to her and thought maybe she had known she would need them. The bakery heir was very receptive and never did anything without a reason behind it.

“Do you want some?” Chaewon reached for the pink box and showed Hyunjin.

The athlete finished wiping the last of her tears with her sleeve and looked down at the carton box curiously. She didn’t think she would be able to eat anything in there but she accepted the gesture.

“I really can’t. Haseul probably put some chocolate croissants or cream puffs in there. And although those are my favorites, I used to eat those all the time with-“

Hyunjin didn’t finish her sentence because as soon as Chaewon opened the box and she saw the contents inside, the words died in her mouth. It was two small fruit tarts and a slice of pineapple cake. They weren't her favorites. If Hyunjin recalled correctly (and she did), they were Chaewon's favorites. The sight alone made her chuckle because it was really ironic.

Never in her life she thought she would eat these two desserts again. Not after _her_. The random change of mood caught Chaewon’s attention so the bakery employee looked at Hyunjin expectantly. 

Hyunjin chose to skip an explanation. “Nothing. Let’s eat," she told the blonde girl with a sincere smile. 

Chaewon didn’t mind at all.

— — —

Hyunjin had resumed coming to the bakery but she couldn’t come every day after school like she used to because she had basketball practice three times a week as the season had officially started. Still, Mondays she was always free so she always walked through the door of My Melody Bakery. Something else had also changed, and it was the fact that Hyunjin was purchasing pastries again. 

The BlockBerry student didn’t tell her a reason but it definitely happened after they had eaten the desserts together in front of the fountain. Hyunjin looked like she had eaten a little piece of heaven when she tried the pineapple cake, and that’s why she always bought a slice and ate it in the shop while she made small talk with the blonde. Then when she was done, she took two fruit tarts to go so she could eat later at home.

This went on for a long time. Months. Until basketball season was over and Hyunjin was back to coming to My Melody everyday after school once again. Even so, she never changed her order. The only difference was that now she alternated what she would have yet it was always the same two menu items. Either one slice of pineapple cake or a fruit tart. 

Chaewon knew not to push Hyunjin into talking (the two had gotten to know each other and were now good friends), but she really wanted to know reason behind always getting the same thing. Doesn’t she get bored of eating pineapple cake and fruit tarts every week? Chaewon admitted the pastries were delicious, and of course they were her favorite desserts, but eating them all the time would kill her. She doesn’t know how Hyunjin does it, or more like why she does it.

“Are you doing anything after work?” Hyunjin asked.

Chaewon was caught off-guard by the question. Usually, Hyunjin ate and left after telling each other what they did at school respectively. She wasn’t one to hang around and ask about her plans as that was outside of "the norm" the had built. What made today so different?

“I’m not doing anything,” Chaewon lied.

She actually had a presentation to practice for tomorrow but if this was what she thought it was, she would gladly take a below average grade.

“Do you maybe... want to hang out later? Like- I don't know- the mall or something? You can think of something else too, I don't mind.”

Chaewon really tried to calm her speeding heart and not make the sensation of fluttering butterflies in her stomach obvious. “Yeah of course. The mall is fine. But I’m going to be in my school uniform though.”

Hyunjin let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding.

“That’s okay. I’m in my uniform too," she extended her hands to give Chaewon a better view of her attire, as if it wasn't obvious that she always came to the bakery right after school. 

The smaller girl was now beaming and her smile could light even the darkest parts of the world. Hyunjin was getting a weird sensation in her chest the longer she stared, but maybe she just ate too fast and was getting heartburn.

How dense was she to realize that the fluttering feeling in her chest wasn’t food related at all...

— — —

“My friends are never going to believe I’m at the mall hanging out with someone from Eden Prep,” Hyunjin laughed in amusement.

Chaewon was out of the bakery clothes and back to her school uniform. She even tied her hair half up with a ribbon like she always does for school. In other words, Chaewon looked like a rich and spoiled princess.

The blonde didn’t like the sound of Hyunjin's statement. She had a feeling of where this conversation was going. “How so?”

Now, Hyunjin looked away embarrassed. She tried to look at the store’s windows and pretended to be interested on something displayed, but it was getting hard to pretend with Chaewon's eyes fixated on her.

“There’s this thing we say at BlockBerry about the girls at Eden being too rich and pretty to hang out with normal people like us,” Hyunjin ended up telling her.

Chaewon’s eyes widened. She tried to tell herself to not freak out. Hyunjin didn’t call her pretty, she was referring to the whole school in general, she shouldn’t get any ideas. It was a stereotype.

“That’s not true. We’re normal people too,” she bumped shoulders with Hyunjin to try to get the girl to smile again.

The bright mood was back and Hyunjin decided she might as well confess. 

“I saw you once walking to My Melody in your school uniform. I think it was the day you applied for the job. Then a short while later, you started working there. That’s mainly why I never tried to talk to you even though I was there everyday just looking at the pastries.”

“Because you knew I went to Eden Prep?” Chaewon was shocked.

Hyunjin nodded.

Chaewon dragged the taller girl inside a shop when a pretty sundress caught her eye but she still didn’t forget to reprimand her. “Hyunjin you’re so dumb. I can’t believe you thought I was a stereotype.” 

And the athlete would forever regret not talking to Chaewon sooner but it didn’t matter anymore. They had befriended each other in the end so everything had worked out.

“Well can you blame me? Half of that statement is still right.”

Chaewon looked at the price tag of the pretty blue dress and instantly made a face. Maybe some other time. “In case you missed it, I'm not rich. I'm working for a reason.”

Hyunjin looked at her seriously. “Yeah I know.” And then walked out of the store first leaving the shorter girl behind.

Okay wait.

If being rich is not what she meant then...

Chaewon was glad Hyunjin left because she felt her head getting hot at the true meaning of her words.

Chaewon hadn't been imagining anything. Hyunjin really called her pretty. Too pretty to hang out with even. The Eden student felt ridiculous at how the simple compliment made her head spin and had her heart doing somersaults.

— — —

Jiwoo told her to go for it. Or if she were to quote her verbatim: "Go get that bread!"

She earned a punch to the stomach for that but Chaewon did take her words for consideration. Her feelings for Hyunjin weren't going away and it would be good for her to do something about them. It's not like she never thought about confessing again but it's just that she was scared about how Hyunjin would react. Just imagining it was what made Chaewon turn back every time. Hyunjin was so hard to read sometimes, it was hard to predict her reactions.

Hyunjin would probably reject her again but she hadn’t been interacting with her completely on a platonic level either. Chaewon didn’t know when it began exactly, but they started being more touchy with each other, whether it was linking arms or holding hands. When they said goodbye now, it wasn't simple waves but they evolved into hugs. And even those got a little stronger with time. And when one would away away first, the other would stay and stare a bit longer than necessary.

Chaewon wasn't being crazy. She wasn't the only one that was being obvious about seeming interested in something more now. The urge to say something about their new development always lingered but neither got the courage to actually speak about it.

The blonde would like to tell Hyunjin that her feelings never went away. If anything, they just got more intense than what they used to be. Before, Chaewon would call it a simple crush but now she didn’t know if she would be able to sleep if Hyunjin wasn’t a part of her life. It sounded like she was being dramatic but she was serious. How many nights she hadn’t been able to fall asleep thinking about the girl with the beautiful black hair, hypnotizing cat eyes, and a dazzling smile.

Hyunjin wasn’t just a pretty face or a dumb jock like both extremes of the spectrum stereotyped her to be. She was sweet and considerate, and even when she tried to be nonchalant and put up a tough girl act, the girl was actually gentle and fragile. Hyunjin looked cold and unapproachable but she was witty and funny once you understood her way of thinking. She was the kind of person that would do anything to keep her friends smiling and hurt anyone who made them cry.

The day Chaewon interacted with her first rude customer was the day Hyunjin almost sent a man twice her age and size to the hospital. Hyunjin always had her back and was always there to protect her, but the question was whether the taller girl was willing to have the same done to her in return? Would Hyunjin be ready to let her walls down? Did she trust Chaewon enough to be sensible around her?

It’s like whenever they were about to have a heart to heart, Hyunjin grabbed bricks and cement and added to her walls an extra layer. Ever since her breakdown at the park, Hyunjin never spoke about her feelings again. She was bottling everything inside once more and that would only result disastrous in the long run. Communication was a huge part of any kind of relationship, whether romantic or platonic, but Hyunjin always avoided it like the plague.

“Do you want to go to the movies? Or maybe the park? How about we go try that new yogurt place down the street?” Hyunjin asked animatedly as they strolled down the street from school. 

Lately Hyunjin had even started waiting for her by the bus stop so they could walk together whenever Chaewon had to work. She would walk her after her shift was over too and just doing so many sweet little gestures that it was becoming too much for Chaewon. The blonde could be good at pretending but she was never a good liar. The more time she spent with Hyunjin, the more her feelings grew, and it was starting to become too much to just remain friends. She wanted so much more but if Hyunjin wasn't on the same page then she would only be hurting herself in the end.

“Hyunjin, can we talk?” Chaewon stopped walking abruptly.

The taller girl frowned. She could feel the mood around them suddenly dropping. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Chaewon took a deep breath as she made up her mind. She couldn't hold her feelings back anymore. “Look, I’m just gonna say it. I still like you and I need to know whether you still only see me as a friend so I can try to move on.“

Hyunjin’s face expression was one she couldn’t read. She looked like she wanted to say something but in the end she kept mum. Chaewon waited. Maybe Hyunjin just needed some time to gather her thoughts together? But seconds passed and nothing. Hyunjin simply avoided her gaze like always. She was being a coward once again.

This was really frustrating. Chaewon huffed getting more agitated by the second.

“I'm tired of all this push and pull, Hyunjin. Tell me honestly, what am I to you?”

Again, Hyunjin didn’t say anything. She turned to look at Chaewon with sorry eyes and a heavy heart. Her throat felt dry and her lips seemed glued shut. Even if she wanted to speak, it was like her voice had been stolen from her.

This was it. This was all the proof Chaewon needed to finally give up for good. Hyunjin would always be too scared to confess and if she couldn't properly articulate her feelings then Chaewon was wasting her time. It certainly hurt, because it felt like no matter what she did, Hyunjin just didn't want to be with her officially even if her actions said otherwise. It was like she was being played with and Chaewon didn't like it. Her heart felt like it was being held over a burning fire and getting scorched to ashes. Nothing of it would remain soon. 

“Alright. Thanks for letting me know how you feel.”

Chaewon turned on her heels and walked away from the girl that’s been on her mind from the moment she wakes up to the moment she goes to sleep. She was thankful the tears started falling only after she was a good distance away, where she wouldn't be bothered or seen.

Hyunjin felt like the biggest idiot in the planet that day when she didn’t stop Chaewon and let her walk away with the wrong idea. She let her fears get the best of her. She didn't deserve Chaewon, so maybe it was a good thing for them to part ways.

She was a beautiful butterfly that deserved to be free and fly towards a vivid future waiting for her, not be tied down with someone like Hyunjin who still couldn't get over her past. If that was what she really thought, why did her tears not stop flowing as she walked all the way home?

— — —

“Tell you what, I don’t usually do this because it’s bad for business but I’ll kill Hyunjin for free just for you.”

“Hyejoo, no!” Chaewon tried to hold the girl back but she wasn’t strong enough. “Jiwoo, help me!”

“No, I agree with Hyejoo actually. I brought my camera today. I’ll record the whole thing.”

These two were unbelievable. School had just gotten out and they were walking Chaewon to work. They had been her bodyguards every since the blonde had told them how Hyunjin had left her hanging. If Hyunjin even dared to cross their line of sight, they wouldn't hesitate.

Hyejoo was a new addition to their duo. She was a new transfer just a year younger than them but she reminded them a lot of how they used to be when they first arrived in Eden as freshmen. The girl was a lone wolf that preferred to keep to herself but no one truly liked to be alone. With some persuasion and a few invites to the gaming arcade, they had won her over completely and they were now a trio.

She was a little emo and probably going through her rebelling phase, but she had her soft side. Right now, it was nowhere to be found though. The more time that passed the more enraged Hyejoo got because Hyunjin had ghosted Chaewon completely. No calls, texts, or even smoke signals. She once met a girl from BlockBerry that did the same thing to her. Once they learn that they attend Eden it’s like they are seen under a different light and thought to be brand new people.

“I can go kill Hyunjin and while I’m there I can go find that other girl that ruined my life too.” Hyejoo spoke with fire in her eyes. It looked like there was no changing her mind or stopping her.

Okay, the joke was funny the first few minutes but now Chaewon was starting to get worried. “Hyejoo come on, stop playing. I have to get to work.”

“Call in sick and ask Yeojin to cover for you. We’re going to kick BlockBerry ass.”

Jiwoo cheered with Hyejoo’s words and the two dragged her on the bus to the other side of town. Jiwoo was not being a good influence at all! Hyejoo could announce that she would commit a crime after school and Jiwoo would be the type to hype her up. Big no!

"Yeojin can't cover for me! She's barely a freshman with no idea of what she's doing! Haseul _literally_ banned her from setting foot in the bakery after trying to make a batch of brownies. She made a glass pan explode in the oven and got chocolate batter on the ceiling! Not to mention the brownies were rock hard!" Yeojin may be a good cook but she was terrible at baking. A very peculiar trait about the little troublemaker.

Chaewon was so screwed and was so not going to make it now that she was being kidnapped against her will. In the end, she did what Hyejoo told her and she sent an emergency S.O.S to Yeojin that something suddenly came up and if she could please cover for her without setting the place on fire. It was so short notice, literally 30 minutes before she had to go in, so she prays to whatever Gods there are in heaven that she doesn’t get fired for this stunt they’re trying to pull.

Yeojin was Haseul's little sister, that surely had to count for something, right? Plus, Yeojin and her were cool. If she was found in the position of her job being put in jeopardy, the youngest bakery heir could put in a positive word about her, no?

Their school actually got out about 30 minutes earlier than BlockBerry, so by the time they made it to the other side of town, they still had a few minutes to spare as the last bell hadn’t rung yet.

Chaewon was desperately clawing at Hyejoo’s arm, begging for them to just turn the other way and go home, but it was futile. They were waiting outside the gate and the soon-to-be-fired bakery employee was having a mental breakdown. Meanwhile, Jiwoo looked like she was having the time of her life all smiley and excited to “kick some ass.” As if she could even hurt a fly.

What did Chaewon do to deserve this? All she did was fall for a customer that never bought anything. Was that a crime? Was this something punishable in life? Could this probably be a hidden commandment she didn’t learn about in school (since they were a Catholic school) because she fell asleep? "Thou shalt not falleth for thy pretty customer that does not buy bread from thee" or something like that?

While Chaewon was trying to drag Hyejoo away and Jiwoo was next to them jumping up and down like she had ants in her pants, the messy scene stopped as soon as they finally heard the bell ring. In the eyes of the public they had an image to uphold, and while they were wearing the Eden uniform they would never taint Eden Prep’s pristine and posh reputation by being embarrassing in territory of their rival school. Famously known for their iconic yellow uniforms, BlockBerry students looked in awe to see three girls from Eden waiting outside the gates as they were leaving the premises.

The news quickly spread throughout the whole building about three preps who looked to be waiting for someone. A good five minutes passed, until the girl they came to see appeared, but she wasn’t alone. It was like a cheesy chick flick where two contrasting groups stand in line facing each other about to fight. Hyunjin had two girls standing at either side of her holding their ground while Chaewon had Jiwoo and Hyejoo.

All of them were keeping in check until-

“Oh my gosh, Jungeun?” Jiwoo’s shocked gasp came through breaking all of them from their trance.

One of the girls with Hyunjin faltered in her stance. “Jiwoo?”

“You moved to the city? You lied to me?” Jiwoo now looked like she was close to tears.

“Jiwoo, I-“ 

“How could you Jungeun? Even after I confessed to you. You said you were leaving to study abroad.” And with that Jiwoo ran away with the brunette- Jungeun- running after her.

The two lived in the countryside when they were younger. How was Jungeun supposed to guess Jiwoo would moved to the city as well when she grew up and ended transferring to Eden Prep, her current rival school?

She knew she screwed up badly but she was young and scared and she ended up running away in the end. They lost contact and Jungeun truly had no means on how to contact her all this time. But that would no longer be the case. She would finally stop running. Maybe this was God's way of giving her a second chance and make things right once and for all between the both of them.

Chaewon had no idea what that was about and neither did anyone else because they looked just as lost as she did. Confessed? Wait. Could it be... this Jungeun girl was Jiwoo’s childhood crush? The first love she lost contact with that she’s always gushing about? The reason why all of Jiwoo's crushes are small and insignificant, because she could never get over her? What an incredible twist of fate. 

“Okay. Let’s get back to business," Hyejoo clapped and tried to get them back on track, "I’m here to find a girl named Choi Yerim.” 

The other girl next to Hyunjin raised her hand. Oh seriously? How is this even possible?

Hyejoo took a good five seconds to scan the girl up and down before the fire in her eyes was back. “You! You’re PurpleCherries727! I found you!”

Meanwhile, Hyunjin and Chaewon had no idea what was going once again. Wasn't this supposed to be about them? How did their friends suddenly know each other and have their lives intertwined as well?

Yerim looked puzzled at the claim until reality dawned on her. “Wait... are you SilverWolf12?”

Hyejoo’s glare soon turned to a softer look and Chaewon could tell she was internally fighting with herself to not let out a smile. Was she trying to look intimidating? For what? Seriously, what is happening right now?

“I wanted to meet with you in real life after gaming online but you ghosted me after telling you I was from Eden Prep!"

Yerim looked guilty at her. “Why would someone from Eden want to meet with someone like me who goes to BlockBerry?"

“Because I like you, you doorknob!” And with that Hyejoo took the girl by the hand and snatched her away into the sunset. Or probably to the nearest arcade.

Now Chaewon and Hyunjin were left standing by themselves. Their friends were gone and other students weren’t paying them much mind anymore. The whole exchange was confusing and extra. Everyone just wanted to go home.

“Why aren’t you at work?” Hyunjin asked her.

Chaewon cleared her throat. “Jiwoo and Hyejoo dragged me here. I called in an emergency and ditched.”

Hyunjin nodded. “And what was the emergency?”

The shorter girl avoided the latter’s gaze. If she stared into Hyunjin’s eyes her knees would become shaky and she’d probably end on collapsing on the sidewalk. “To come here and try to stop Hyejoo from beating you up.”

Hyunjin looked shocked. “She wanted to beat me up?”

Chaewon nodded. "Although, now I think she just wanted to meet with that girl."

"Yeah, Yerim had been down this past few weeks, crying about an online girlfriend." Hyunjin may be shocked, but not surprised. “If the main purpose was to beat me up though, I wouldn’t blame her. I deserve it. But why were you trying to stop her?” The athlete took a few steps forward to get closer.

Chaewon was rooted on her spot, unable to move for some reason. Hyunjin was so close and she had now locked their hands together. The hold wasn’t tight but Chaewon felt like she was chained down without a way to escape.

“Because I didn't want you to get hurt," Chaewon let out a shaky breath.

Hyunjin then let go of one of her hands to life her chin and finally have their eyes lock in place. “And why is that?”

Chaewon found herself lost in those warm cat-like eyes that were the color of freshly-brewed coffee in the morning. The blonde couldn’t speak for a long time, lost in a trance the moment their gazes connected. Hyunjin seemed to be in a trance too because she completely forgot she had even asked a question and instead slowly began to lean forward. Chaewon eyes widened momentarily, for she knew what was about to happen, but then found herself closing them in anticipation.

The moment their lips locked, Chaewon feared it may be a dream. One of the many dreams her mind conjured at night to torture her because as soon as she woke up she realized that nothing of it had been real and it made her heart break in half. But this couldn’t be a dream as it felt way too vivid. She believed with every fiber of her being that this wasn’t a dream and it was truly happening before her.

She could feel Hyunjin’s soft skin under her palms when she reached up to crane her face closer. She could taste her on her lips, the kiss tasting of chocolate probably from a candy bar she ate not too long ago. She could smell the scent of her shampoo, a mixture of fruits and flowers that made her head swim. She could hear the pleased hums coming from her throat when she nibbled on her bottom lip just right. And when Chaewon pulled away and opened her eyes, she could see Hyunjin was right in front of her, face flushed and breathing hard and didn't materialize away.

This wasn’t a product of her imagination. This was real life. They had kissed and Hyunjin hadn’t ran the other way. When she dropped her arms to her sides, Chaewon could reach forward and grasp her hands firmly. She could lock their fingers together and sway their arms side to side as they walked down the street with no destination in mind. Hyunjin could turn her head to the side and lean forward to plant another soft kiss on her lips that left her just as breathless as the first time, however many times she wanted.

“I didn’t answer you back then because I wasn’t even sure of what I was feeling,” Hyunjin murmured against her lips.

She pulled away and looked her in the eyes to make sure Chaewon understood that she had her undivided attention.

“You’re way more than just a friend to me but I didn’t want to rush into things if I still had feelings for my ex-girlfriend. I didn’t want to use you as a distraction or a way for me to move on. I wanted to make sure my feelings for you were genuine before I even had the courage to answer any of your questions.”

Chaewon felt her heart growing twice its size. Any more and it would burst out her chest and spill all over to the ground. The indescribable feelings she had for this girl were unreal. It was like nothing she had ever experienced.

“You’re nothing like Heejin. Your favorite things are the things she never liked. When we first ate that pineapple cake at the fountain, it was such a weird experience. She _hated_ pineapple so I always stayed away from it. She didn't like fruit tarts either because she said that if our goal was to eat desserts, we might as well get the most unhealthy thing."

Hyunjin remembered everything fondly, no longer feeling her heart ache as she recalled Heejin and her memories of her.

"Your personality, first impression, your mannerisms, your hobbies, everything about you is the complete opposite of hers and for the longest time I didn’t understand how I could find myself falling for someone so different from her just as hard.”

Hyunjin laughed at the absurdity of it all because she had been such an idiot. She had decided to wait so long to finally be able to voice out her feelings and wasted so much time and caused Chaewon so much pain. She hoped Chaewon would forgive her and accept her now, because Hyunjin was ready to give her every part of herself truly.

Chaewon didn’t know what to say. She didn’t think Hyunjin’s feelings for her were so intense that she had given them so much thought.

Did she cause her to lose sleep at night just like she did? Did she find herself wondering in the middle of the day what could she possibly be doing? Did she crave to talk to her every waking second of the day? Did she long to see her as soon as school was over just as much as she did everyday?

Chaewon would come to learn that the answers to all those questions were yes. Hyunjin's feelings rang that deep.

“Thank you for teaching me that it’s okay to love again and that I can genuinely fall for someone new. Thank you for falling for me Park Chaewon,” Hyunjin giggled and gave her one last kiss to seal the deal.

— — —

From that day on Park Chaewon officially became Kim Hyunjin’s girlfriend, and it would remain that way for many years to come.

They went on triple dates to My Melody with Jiwoo and Jungeun, and Yerim and Hyejoo. Their group of friends remained close even in their college days and all three couples stayed together throughout their adulthood.

Hyunjin grew up to attend a university that specialized in sports and majored in education to become a physical education teacher who also was in charge of coaching the basketball team for the future school that employed her, Polaris High. Although the bakery would forever hold a dear place in her heart, that's not where Chaewon's passion lied. She went to medical school and became a veterinarian who opened her own clinic.

When they both felt they were ready to take the next step together, they decided to get married. They chose Paris after much consideration, and it was a beautiful wedding with close friends and family. They also invited Heejin after months of searching, who in return offered to make Chaewon’s wedding gown, delighted to see Hyunjin again after so many years and meet her beautiful fiancé as well.

Having gone to fashion school, she successfully grew up to follow her mother’s footsteps and became a famous fashion designer, known for her breathtaking wedding dresses, the custom-made gown Heejin made for Chaewon was as if out of a fairy-tale. Everything turned out perfectly and Hyunjin finally got the closure she needed as she was able to move on with a lighter heart. The two best friends grew close again and were back to being good friends, never choosing to lose contact again.

Chaewon and Hyunjin planned to go to Budapest for their honeymoon and they couldn't stop thinking about this brand new chapter in their lives together as wives. At their wedding they shared a slice of their wedding cake between them and feed each other lovingly like those overly-cheesy couples in the movies. It was a beautiful multi-layered pineapple cake from My Melody, made at one of their Paris locations after successfully having expanded across the world with the help of Haseul's wife Jinsol.

The Europe branch was running smoothly under Yeojin's guidance who had a passion for making new "explosive" creations that were always a huge hit. Jungeun and Jiwoo would be next couple to order their cake from My Melody, and Yerim and Hyejoo not far behind.

Chaewon and Hyunjin would have their ups and downs and their relationship wouldn't always be all sunshine and rainbows, but it was nothing they wouldn't be able solve with good communication between them and a small trip to their favorite bakery, even if they didn’t buy anything and only stared at the pastries.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twitter if you want. Or not. That's cool too.
> 
> @snsdtwinkle


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